An extension of the East River Ferry could be in the cards

A new report suggests expanding the popular ferry service’s routes and adding 11 new stops, connecting all five boroughs

By Marley Lynch Tue Jan 7 2014

East River FerryPhotograph: Beth Levendis

Right now, the East River Ferry makes seven stops in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens—but that could be changing soon. The NYC Economic Development Corporation's new Citywide Ferry Study recommends five new routes and 11 more stops, including Astoria, the Rockaways, East 23rd Street, St. George and Soundview in the Bronx. The caveat is that it'll cost a $10 million a year to run (up from the current $3 million annual budget), plus a cool $80 million to subsidize the requisite docking stations, barges and such.

The floating transit service, a pilot project, has already been extended until 2019, and these suggestions certainly indicate it's here to stay—if city officials or a private ferry company pony up the cash.